


Trust

by sockablock



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Fluff in Equal Parts, Canon-Typical Violence, Fjord and Nott and Trust, Gen, based of a tumblr prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 20:12:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14292546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sockablock/pseuds/sockablock
Summary: After an altercation gone sideways, Nott thinks a bit more about trusting Fjord





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is based off a prompt sent to me @sailorfjord on tumblr:
> 
> @twinvax asked: angst with fluff where Nott is hurt badly and shes stuck with someone who isnt jester helping her out. / Fjord and nott fluff where he finally gets her trust.

“Aw, _shoot_ ,” said Fjord, and hastily dropped down to face her.

Nott had her back pressed against the wall of the cavern. Her hands clutched at her left side. From under little green fingers, a dampness was beginning to stain her cloak and sticking out from the center was a wooden hilt, pinning the fabric to her skin.

“I’m fine,” said Nott through her teeth. “It’s just a dagger. Go chase that thing down.”

For a moment, Fjord was tempted to just nod and let her tough it out. He could just make out a dark shape retreating down the cave tunnels and out of sight, almost begging him to run after it. But then Nott winced again and sank further down along the cave wall.

“Nott, are you _sure_ you’re—”

“I’m fine!” she snapped. “Go get that thing! It’s heading towards Caleb and Beau, you’ve got to go help them!”

He gave another glance down the passage, then moved closer to Nott and started rifling through his bag. “Potion of healing,” he muttered under his breath, “potion of healing, potion of healing, I’ve gotta have one…”

“Fjord, what are you doing?” Nott asked. Her breathing was getting erratic. “Go help the others! I’ll be _fine_.”

“Damn, why don’t I have any potions?”

“Fjord, get out of here and—”

“Nott!” He said a bit more firmly than he’d intended. “Hush up and let me heal you! Look at yourself, you’re going to pass out and there’s _no_ way that dagger is clean.”

“It’s not clean, it’s got poison on it, but that’s not the point—”

“It’s got _poison_ on it?!”

“—you have to chase after it! Beau isn’t enough and they’ll get themselves killed—”

“Fucking hell, is _that_ why you’re so injured—"

“Go get it! Forget me, go get it, go get it—”

“Where’s Jester when you need her, fuck, fuck, fuck—”

“Fjord! Get _out_ of here—”

“Why didn’t you tell me there was poison, for fuck’s sake, I’m not a doctor—”

“ _Fjord, I’m just a goblin, forget me and go help Caleb!_ ”

In the silence, Nott’s shallow breathing hung heavy in the air.

“Oh, _come on_ , Nott,” Fjord muttered. Then, before she could protest, in possibly one of the most idiotic things he’d ever done, Fjord grabbed her as gently as he could, held her against his chest, and sprinted down the tunnel away from Caleb and Beau and towards where Team Tiefling had gone.

“This is the _wrong way_!” Nott screeched, partly from the anger, and partly from the pain. Fjord was doing his best not to jostle her too much, but there was only so much he could do as he flew down a rocky underground tunnel with 40 pounds of furious, injured goblin in his arms.

“Do you really want to help Caleb?!” Fjord yelled back. He could barely hear himself over the blood pounding in through his ears.

“Of _course_ , idiot!”

“Then by the Dawnfather you gotta fuckin’ stay alive, alright?! Trust me, your boy’s come a long way and he can handle himself! But you know what he won’t be able to handle?”

“What?”

“You dying, Nott! So just…just fuckin’ sit tight and we’ll get Jester and then we’ll go back and we’ll see that they fuckin’ beat whatever that thing was to a pulp and we’ll laugh about it and you know what?!”

“…what?” asked Nott, and this time it was quieter. Fjord didn’t know if that was a good sign or a very, very bad one.

“And Caleb’s gonna be thrilled that you’re alright, ok? Trust me!”

There was no response. And try as he might, Fjord could not run faster.

Eventually, after too long—much too long—he skidded around the corner and nearly smacked into Mollymauk, who looked amused until he saw what was in Fjord’s arms.

“Shit!” yelled Jester, and dropped her doughnut and got to work.

\-------------

Later, much later, they were in a tavern and Beau had drank so much she was asleep at the bar. Molly and Jester were busy hustling a stranger at Crick Queen’s Call, leaving Fjord alone at the table in front of Caleb and Nott.

Then, “I think I’m going to go to bed,” said Caleb. “It’s been a very long day.”

“Yeah, I feel that one,” said Fjord. “I didn’t think we’d end up facing down a bunch of Kobolds.”

Caleb gave Fjord a weak grin, which was like getting a radiant smile. “You should have another drink. Um…on me,” he added with profound social ineptitude, and placed three ( _one, two, three_ ) silver onto the wooden tabletop. “Uh… _danke_ ,” he mumbled.

And then he went upstairs, and Nott and Fjord were left sitting face-to-face.

“That was…peculiar,” Fjord said lightly.

Nott sighed, and pulled her flask out. “I told him about what you did.”

“Oh,” said Fjord. “Uh…sorry for that, I think. I mean, you went unconscious on my watch and all that.”

Nott sighed again, and this time took a swig from her flask. “No, I’m the one that’s sorry. For yelling at you. You were right. And that silver is Caleb’s way of saying thank you for saving me, I think.”

“Oh, well, he didn’t need to do that—”

“Don’t worry about it. Apparently I’m only worth three silver to him.”

“Nott, don’t—”

She gave him a wry smile. “That was a joke,” she said. “I know I’m worth at least six.”

Fjord wasn’t exactly sure what to say to that, so he gave a polite chuckle and stared at the tabletop.

Eventually, Nott broke the silence. “I do, now, by the way,” she said.

He looked up. “Come again?”

Nott matched his gaze. “I don’t really know about Beau,” she mused, “and I still think Molly’s kind of…shifty, but you were right. What you said in the tunnels before I passed out? You were right that Caleb can handle himself now, mostly, and that he would’ve been the most upset if I…didn’t make it. And I’m…grateful to you that you made sure I would still be here to protect him. And I’m glad you didn’t leave me behind. Now I know you really do mean well. And that you care about us. So…I trust you. I think.”

“…thank you, Nott. Trust isn’t something that’s easy to come by. And…and I appreciate that.”

“…cool. But also don’t ever point your sword at Caleb again, alright? I know he can be stupid sometimes but that just was not okay.”

Fjord gave Nott a lopsided grin. “Alright. I think I can do that.”

“Good.” 

Then she turned around, and went upstairs, and Fjord took his three silver and got himself another drink.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to send me a prompt too, do it! I'm @sailorfjord and while my other stuff is in the works, I'd love to fill some requests <3


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